5 Mar 2025 • New research evaluating prevalence of hearing impairment in children with Down syndrome found that nearly half (48.8%) of the pediatric patients exhibited conductive hearing loss (CHL), while 4.1% had sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

Most affected children (86.5%) experienced bilateral hearing loss, with the majority (59.1%) of CHL cases being mild. Otitis media with effusion (OME), upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), and adenoid enlargement were commonly linked to CHL.

Interestingly, 38.6% of CHL cases showed improvement over time, while SNHL was permanent in all affected individuals. The findings emphasize the importance of early and regular hearing assessments for children with Down syndrome.

Source: Nature | Read Full Story